The deep voices at the end of the dark tunnel grew louder. Ash pictured the path they were taking, realizing they were finally entering the Motherwolf’s Den. A small group of adventurers stood around bickering amongst themselves.

Ash identified the individual who was most likely to be the leading figure. He carried a giant ax, an appropriate weapon for someone who remained at the frontlines relaying orders. He was a lot younger than most leaders, probably around 17, with smooth brown hair that he wore in a man bun. His hazel eyes glanced over at the new arrivals before he silenced his companion.

“It seems we have visitors,” he said, crossing his buff arms. He wore red armor, a color that not only made him stand out amidst the battlefield but also represented the spilled blood of his enemy.

“Is the Motherwolf not here?” asked Ash. The boy was short and skinny compared to the muscular teenager in front of him, but he didn’t let that affect him. Though, he couldn’t say the same for Julius.

“It seems like she’s still dormant. Are you two here to try and take her down?” he asked.

“We were hoping we could assist you guys. We’re not interested in the spoils, either.”

“Oh? Well then, you guys are free to join. Welcome aboard,” announced the leader, a large grin spread across his face. Adventurers always prioritized the rewards over anything. If Ash stated that Julius and he weren’t interested in what the Motherwolf could potentially drop as a bonus, then they were sure to be accepted.

Julius didn’t protest. He was smart enough to understand their current situation. 

“My name’s Brock. I run things around here,” he stated, extending his hand amicably. Ash shook it as a representative of the small duo. 

“Ash. This is my partner, Julius.”

Ash noticed the black tattoo on Brock’s upper arm below his shoulder pads. The boy’s eyes widened subconsciously upon recognizing it: the mark of Ares, God of War, and a member of the Council.

Brock noticed this minuscule reaction, checking Ash’s arm only to be met with a white cloth covering the area where the mark was supposed to be located.

“Have you two gone in for a rank test?” asked Brock. Julius said nothing. Ash interpreted the silence as denial and relayed the message.

“No, we haven’t. Is a rank important?” 

“Well, you need a rank if you want to participate in expeditions. A certain House will organize it and then recruit members depending on their rank. Once formed the expedition team will venture out to the designated floor and split the rewards amongst all the members,” explained Brock. 

Brock appeared to be one of the individuals who led expeditions. Ash wondered if he had taken an interest in them, but he quickly shook his head before responding.

“We’re still new. We need to practice a bit more before we consider taking a rank test.”

“I see-“

“Brock! Don’t stall our discussion! We agreed to split the rewards 50/50. Why are you suddenly changing it?” demanded a voice. Brock sighed, turning to face a woman with short black hair. She wielded a greatsword over her shoulder, a weapon that caused unwanted memories of Draegan to flash before Ash’s eyes.

“Cecilia, we’ve talked about this already. We agreed to split 50/50 up until you decided to abandon half your team. We won’t be splitting the rewards equally if we’re not contributing to the Motherwolf’s defeat equally.”

Brock’s argument made complete sense, but the woman named Cecilia didn’t back down.

“Contribution was irrelevant when we discussed the reward splitting, and the people I left behind wouldn’t have contributed anyway! They were weak,” she responded with a distasteful tone.

“The Motherwolf is an F-rank monster. I’m sure they could’ve helped in some way,” fought back Brock. 

“That’s ridiculous-“

“Listen, Cecilia. The rewards will be split 70/30, as I’ve stated. If it disturbs you, wait a few hours until the Motherwolf awakens again and take her out on your own.”

“Whatever! I’ll fucking stay, come on boys, let’s get ready,” she yelled, leading the small group of adventurers with her.

“I’m surprised there are so many people gathered to take out the Motherwolf,” whispered Julius.

“Well, this is actually an expedition for F-ranks. It’s to help them practice and potentially be recognized by a Deity,” said Brock, having heard Julius’s remark.

“You can get a rank before you get a mark?” asked Ash.

“Yeah, since the rank test only measures the amount of essence within you. Higher amounts naturally mean stronger magic.”’

Ash had never heard of any of this from Zane, making him doubt the validity of Brock’s statement. Regardless, he nodded politely and thanked him for the information.

The team of adventurers suddenly went silent upon sensing the hatred of a monster. Everyone turned, seeing a single Direwolf snarled viciously at them. Nobody understood where it had appeared from.

There had been no noticeable tremors in the area, leaving everyone speechless as to how the Direwolf got there. The sound of metal filled the room as an enthusiastic recruit drew his sword. He waited momentarily, but after a few seconds of silence, he decided to attack the beast.

Nobody said anything. Nobody moved. Everyone just watched the recruit approach the Direwolf, his roars echoing in their ears.

The monster didn’t move. It only glared at its opponent and waited. Waited, and waited, like living bait.

The Direwolf was the bait.

“THOMAASS!!” yelled Brock, unsheathing the ax from his back as he thundered forward. “GET AWAY FROM THERE!”

The rookie’s legs flinched upon hearing those words. He looked back, dismissing the Direwolf that was right in front of him, as a tear fell down his cheek. His body understood the position he lay in before his mind even processed it.

The ground beneath Thomas cracked, the noise only accompanied by a small whimper that escaped the young boy’s mouth.

“Fuck…” he whispered to himself.

The ground caved in as a giant howl filled the area. A giant beast with red fur emerged amidst the rubble, its open jaw surrounding the helpless adventurer that was beginning to fall through the hole.

Ash met Thomas’s eyes as the gleaming white teeth closed around him. His eyes trembled, his limbs were frozen in terror, but he was unable to scream. 

A sickening crunch spread throughout the minds of every spectator as Thomas’s body was flattened. Fresh blood shot out from the beast’s mouth, drenching its canines and Brock’s face, who had arrived too late.

Never before had a monster ever served as bait to lure in an ignorant adventurer. Nobody had expected it, and because of the lack of preparation, a new and excited rookie had been slaughtered on the first floor of the Dungeon.

In those milliseconds of utter shock, everyone pieced together the puzzle. The monsters as they knew them had vanished. 

The Dungeon was evolving.

The cave shook violently as the Motherwolf appeared in her full glory. The colossal red beast growled, her equally scarlet eyes glaring at the frozen team of adventurers in front of her. Her fangs shone in the cave light, the velvet hue that covered them reminding everyone of what they had just witnessed.

Brock was the first to return to his senses. He stood right in front of the monstrosity, emphasizing how small humans were compared to it. The adventurer glanced back, seeing how the cave was about to cave in.

“The Dungeon is crumbling! Stand away from the exits or you’ll get crushed!” he cried.

His warning saved those who were able to snap back to reality. Those still stricken with fear could only let out a powerless scream as rocks came crashing down. Their blood tainted the battlefield, causing survivors to start vomiting in disgust.

Ash regained his composure, unsheathing his sword with trembling hands.

“All we can do… is fight,” he muttered to himself. 

“That’s right,” said a voice beside him. Ash turned his head, seeing his partner standing beside him. Julius’s legs had been covered in the blood of a flattened adventurer, but he remained focused on the task at hand.

The Dungeon was beginning to fight back, and all they could do now was survive its wrath.